Sight for armament

ABSTRACT

An armament sight includes a pin guard defining a sight window and a mounting member. One or more sight pins are supported in the sight window by the mounting member. Each sight pin is made up of a substantially optically clear material and a sight tip. The sight tip is positioned by the optically clear material. A user can view an object through the sight pin or pins while aligning the sight tip with the object.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/566,035, filed on Apr. 28, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an aiming sight for an armament. While the invention is illustrated for use with a bow, it may be applied to other armaments, such as a firearm, or the like.

Various armament sights have been proposed. An example of such an armament sight utilizes a sight tip made from a fiber optic that is positioned by a sight pin. The sight pin is positioned such that alignment of the sight tip with a target should provide proper aim to that target. In the case of a bow, multiple sight tips may be utilized at various vertical heights in order to allow the archer to aim at targets of different distances. By making the sight tip from a fiber optic, the sight tip may be illuminated from light gathered by the fiber optic.

One difficulty with prior art systems is that the sight pins used to position the sight tips seriously obscure portions of the target. This may interfere with the proper use of the sight by precluding proper observation of the target. This problem is compounded when multiple sight pins are utilized in order to sight two targets of different distances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an armament sight that provides the ability to choose from single or multiple different targets at different distances in a manner that allows the user to adjust the target distances. This is accomplished in a manner which does not impair the visibility of the target as occurs with prior art systems.

An armament sight, according to an aspect of the invention, includes a pin guard defining a sight window. One or more sight pins are supported in the sight window by a mounting member. Each sight pin is made up of a substantially optically clear material and a sight tip. The sight tip is positioned by the material. In this manner, a user can view an object through the sight pin(s) while aligning the sight tip with the object.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken generally from the line of sight of a user of an armament having an armament sight, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the armament in FIG. 1 taken generally in the direction toward the user;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a sight pin;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the sight pin in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of an up/down gang adjust support; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the gang adjust support in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now specifically to the drawings, and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, an armament 10, in the form of a bow, is illustrated as equipped with an armament sight 12. Armament sight 12 includes a pin guard 14 defining a sight window 16 therein. Pin guard 14 and sight window 16 are conventional. Pin guard 14 is mounted to the bow by a bracket 15. A left/right adjusting member 17 provides left/right adjustability of the pin guard with respect to bracket 15. Bracket 15 and left/right adjusting member 17 are also conventional.

Armament sight 12 includes one or more sight pins 20. Sight pin(s) 20 is made up of an optically clear material 22. Examples of an optically clear material include cast acrylic and polycarbonate acrylic. However, other optically clear materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Pin 20 includes an opening 26 for positioning a sight tip 24. Sight tip 24 may be a pin made from various types of materials. In the illustrative embodiment, sight tip 24 is made from a section of fiber optic that is approximately the length of the width of sight pin 20. Sight pin 20 includes a threaded shaft 23 for engaging a mounting screw 30.

Sight pin(s) 20 is preferably horizontally oriented and vertically adjustable as will be discussed in detail below. Especially when more than one sight pin is used, the sight pins 20 may be mounted by an up/down gang adjust support 19 having a vertically oriented slot 28 formed therein. Sight pins 20 are vertically adjustable by virtue of mounting screws 30 passing through slot 28 and engaging threaded shaft 23 in the respective sight pin. By loosening the associated adjusting screw 30, the respective sight pin may be vertically adjusted with respect to the other sight pins. Gang adjust support 19 includes a dovetail base 32 which engages a corresponding shape (not shown) in left/right adjustable mount 17. This allows the entire group of sight pins to be vertically adjustable in order to adjust the sighting distance to all of the targets. A pair of openings 34 in up/down gang adjust support 19 provide mounting openings for mounting pin guard 14.

In use, fasteners 30 are loosened and the use adjusts the vertical height of individual ones of the sight pins until the appropriate target distance is set. The user then aligns the appropriate sight tip 24 with the desired target while viewing the target through the optically clear material 22 of the sight pins. This allows the user to observe the target while aligning the appropriate sight tip with that target.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. 

1. An armament sight, comprising: a pin guard defining a sight window; a mounting member; at least one sight pin supported in said sight window by said mounting member; and said at least one sight pin made up of a substantially optically clear material and a sight tip, said sight tip positioned by said material, wherein a user can view an object through said at least one sight pin while aligning said sight tip with the object.
 2. The armament sight in claim 1 wherein said sight tip comprises a fiber optic section.
 3. The armament sight in claim 2 wherein said at least one sight pin comprises a plurality of sight pins.
 4. The armament sight in claim 3 wherein said sight pins are horizontally oriented.
 5. The armament sight in claim 4 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable.
 6. The armament sight in claim 5 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable individually and as a group.
 7. The armament sight in claim 1 wherein said at least one sight pin comprises a plurality of sight pins.
 8. The armament sight in claim 7 wherein said sight pins are horizontally oriented.
 9. The armament sight in claim 8 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable.
 10. The armament sight in claim 9 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable individually and as a group.
 11. The armament sight in claim 1 combined with a firearm.
 12. A bow sight, comprising: a pin guard defining a sight window; a mounting member adapted to mount to a bow; at least one sight pin supported in said sight window by said mounting member; and said at least one sight pin made up of a substantially optically clear material and a sight tip, said sight tip positioned by said material, wherein a user can view an object through said at least one sight pin while aligning said sight tip with the object.
 13. The bow sight in claim 12 wherein said sight tip comprises a fiber optic section.
 14. The bow sight in claim 13 wherein said at least one sight pin comprises a plurality of sight pins.
 15. The bow sight in claim 14 wherein said sight pins are horizontally oriented.
 16. The bow sight in claim 15 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable.
 17. The bow sight in claim 16 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable individually and as a group.
 18. The bow sight in claim 12 wherein said at least one sight pin comprises a plurality of sight pins.
 19. The bow sight in claim 18 wherein said sight pins are horizontally oriented.
 20. The bow sight in claim 19 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable.
 21. The bow sight in claim 20 wherein said sight pins are vertically adjustable individually and as a group. 